Why is work experience important?
Work experience is vitally important for young people to succeed in getting access to graduate and school-leave opportunities. It develops key skills, gives exposure to professional environments, helps build networks and helps young people make informed decisions. Some students, particularly those from lower socio-economic groups, may struggle to have the social networks to find relevant work experience opportunities.
What work experience is available?
Access Accountancy
ICAEW has recently taking over as the chair of Access Accountancy, a collaboration of employers and professional bodies who are dedicated to improving access to the accountancy profession for students from lower income backgrounds.
The initiative is in its fifth year and aims to improve access to the accountancy profession by providing work experience to school students meeting specific criteria relating to their socio-economic background. By 2019 Access Accountancy had reached its target of delivering 3,750 placements to students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
Employer schemes linked to Access Accountancy
- BDO
- EY
- GT
- KPMG
- Kreston Reeves (scroll down to see section on work experience)
- Macintyre Hudson (currently suspended)
- Price Bailey
- PwC
- RSM